1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to the field of securing means and more specifically relates to zipp seal security systems.
2. Description of the Related Art
Oil and other petroleum products may used to provide fuels to power consumer devices such as automobiles and to provide energy for heating buildings. Petroleum is a naturally occurring, flammable liquid consisting of a complex mixture of hydrocarbons of various molecular weights and other liquid organic compounds, which are found in geologic formations beneath the Earth's surface. Petroleum is recovered mostly through drilling and pumping processes. The petroleum industry is involved in exploration, extraction, refining, transporting, and marketing petroleum products which are expensive and may be dangerous. The largest volume products of the industry are fuel oil and petrol. Petroleum is also the raw material for many chemical products, including pharmaceuticals, solvents, fertilizers, pesticides, and plastics.
Petroleum is pumped to the surface where it is processed. The petroleum is piped to storage facilities. This piping comprises pipes and joints including valves for controlling the flow or restriction of flow. It is crucial to prevent tampering or unauthorized access to the petroleum in the interest of safety, of the environment and to prevent financial losses. If oil is tampered with or unlawfully accessed, the petroleum (oil and gas) companies who own the petroleum will be in violation of federal regulation and may be penalized. Also, a petroleum tank valve that is tampered with may allow oil or gas to be easily stolen or removed from its storage tank, which can result in the loss of considerable amounts of money and royalties. It is desirable that petroleum be properly monitored from loss.
Various attempts have been made to solve the above-mentioned problems such as those found in U.S. Pat. and Pub. Nos. U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,467,427; 3,717,369; 4,899,781; 2008/0041122; 2010/0117017, and 2007/0289637. This prior art is representative of securers. None of the above inventions and patents, taken either singly or in combination, is seen to describe the invention as claimed.
Ideally, a zipp seal security system should be user-friendly, safe to use and secure and, yet would operate reliably and be manufactured at a modest expense. Thus, a need exists for a reliable zipp seal security system to avoid the above-mentioned problems.